Looks amazing Liz. But what are the technical and financial aspects of this idea? Would it be economical for the houses to switch to this idea instead of the already present mounting methods? And what is the efficiency of these modules? Yes, it does look beautiful and doesn't require modifications to the building's infrastructure but would this also be cost effective and technically viable. I guess a lot of questions will be answered in the Solar Decathlon this year. Do share the details if you are able to attend that.

Thank you, Elizabeth for updating us on creative thinking around the world. It is my hope that American coal and oil companies begin to reinvent themselves to prepare for the seismic shift in energy sources. They should think of themselves as energy companies, not oil and coal companies. If they don't, they may go the way of Kodak, having a heartbeat but not as the great companies of yore.

Many political battles will dissolve in the new reality of sustainable living at market demand prices. Some people I know in Montana are able to live off the grid with home-brew energy systems. Just think what a professionally engineered home could become. This is a great time for engineers who are re-inventing the future.

True Greg. Nowadays people having the know-how of Solar Power and its advantages are trying to use building integrated modules in the construction of the structure, but the real problem comes in applying this technology to already present buildings. It's very difficult to install the modules on the older buildings as they were built before the emergence of Solar Modules. I think this retrofitting could come in handy in providing solar power to these older constructions.

Yes, Greg, I agree, it is one thing to design a new house with solar panels and make it more sustainable and energy efficient, but it is quite interesting and a different challenge to take post-war construction and make it more modern and sustainable. An interesting project, to be sure!

You are very welcome, 78RPM, and I agree, thinking about energy has to change, and I think it is changing thanks to forward-thinking engineers and contests like this that have been going on for awhile to try to find innovative and sustainable ways to create energy for homes. I think we are at a critical time right now in terms of energy creation and the evolution of energy sources, but with all the interest and research in wind, solar and other creative means of energy-harvesting, people are beginning to catch on.

You are very welcome, 78RPM, and I agree, thinking about energy has to change, and I think it is changing thanks to forward-thinking engineers and contests like this that have been going on for awhile to try to find innovative and sustainable ways to create energy for homes. I think we are at a critical time right now in terms of energy creation and the evolution of energy sources, but with all the interest and research in wind, solar and other creative means of energy-harvesting, people are beginning to catch on.

I think there is a lot of information on the project site, Daniyal, but I am sure more will be revealed at the competition. At this point I don't think I can go, but if I do I will be sure to reveal more details and report more on innovative projects like this.

I have a solar water heater on my roof. Everyone in my neighborhood has one. They are cheap (about 800$), simple, and amazingly efficient. The will to invest a little to save energy in many parts of the world just doesn't seem to be in place yet.

A few weeks ago, Ford Motor Co. quietly announced that it was rolling out a new wrinkle to the powerful safety feature called stability control, adding even more lifesaving potential to a technology that has already been very successful.

It won't be too much longer and hardware design, as we used to know it, will be remembered alongside the slide rule and the Karnaugh map. You will need to move beyond those familiar bits and bytes into the new world of software centric design.

People who want to take advantage of solar energy in their homes no longer need to install a bolt-on solar-panel system atop their houses -- they can integrate solar-energy-harvesting shingles directing into an existing or new roof instead.

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